BY NADIA NTIAMOAH
American music icon Lionel Richie has been hospitalised following his latest concert in St. Louis, Missouri, sparking fresh concern about the health of the 77-year-old singer as he continues an extensive touring schedule.
Richie reportedly sought medical attention after performing at The Muny in St. Louis on Saturday, August 29. According to a source close to his tour who spoke to Rolling Stone, the veteran entertainer was doing okay and had checked himself into a local hospital as a precaution.
However, subsequent reports have indicated that Richie remained in intensive care while undergoing cardiac tests, although no specific diagnosis has been publicly confirmed by the singer or his representatives.
According to People, Richie was expected to return home on Wednesday, September 2. The reports have nevertheless heightened attention around his condition, particularly because the latest hospitalisation follows another health scare less than three months earlier.
Concerns about Richie’s wellbeing reportedly became noticeable during his St. Louis performance itself.
The singer was said to have struggled towards the end of his set and requested a chair while performing his closing song, the 1983 hit “All Night Long”. He completed the performance while seated before subsequently seeking medical attention.
The incident has raised questions about whether the demands of performing and travelling at his age could be taking a toll on the legendary entertainer.
The latest hospital visit is not the first health-related interruption Richie has experienced during his current tour.
On June 24, during the opening night of his tour with Earth, Wind & Fire in St. Paul, Minnesota, Richie reportedly became dizzy and ended the concert earlier than planned.
Two subsequent performances were postponed after doctors advised him to rest.
Richie later returned to the stage on June 30 and reassured fans that he was recovering. Reports at the time attributed the earlier episode to dehydration.
The recurrence of a health scare just over two months later has inevitably renewed concerns among fans, particularly as Richie continues to maintain a demanding performance schedule.
Despite the latest development, there has been no broad cancellation of his tour.
His official schedule lists another performance for September 26 at Chase Center in San Francisco, followed by dates in Chicago on September 30 and Columbus, Ohio, on October 2.
The singer is also expected to begin a Las Vegas residency at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas in October, adding another demanding run of performances to an already busy calendar.
For now, however, the immediate focus remains on Richie’s health and the outcome of the medical tests reportedly being conducted.
While reports have described his hospital visit as precautionary and a source close to his tour has indicated that he is doing okay, there has been no official confirmation of a specific cardiac condition or other serious illness.
Richie’s long career makes the latest development particularly significant to millions of fans who have followed him for generations.
The singer first rose to international prominence as a member of the Commodores before embarking on an enormously successful solo career.
He went on to produce some of popular music’s most recognisable songs, including “Hello”, “All Night Long”, “Say You, Say Me”, “Easy” and “Three Times a Lady”.
